Depression decisions — 2018

The Veteran's service-connected ischemic heart disease is rated at 60 percent from October 8, 2013. The rating period for depressive disorder and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy has been granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression, is denied as there is no evidence of a disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board denied service connection for ischemic heart disease and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and anxiety disorder with panic attacks and depression) due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's active duty service, including exposure to herbicides.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination and verification of in-service stressor. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including Antisocial Personality Disorder, Opioid use Disorder (heroin), Stimulant use Disorder (cocaine), and Unspecified Depressive Disorder, are under review.

The Board dismissed the appeals seeking service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease, erectile dysfunction, neurological conditions, an anxiety disorder, pseudofolliculitis barbae, and major depressive disorder.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is being remanded for further examination and medical opinion as the VA examiner did not consider all relevant evidence, including service treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected orthopedic and neurological disabilities are found to aggravate his psychiatric disability, specifically depressive disorder. Service connection for radiculopathy of the left upper extremity is denied as there is no evidence of such condition during the appeal period.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further evaluation of her depression and patellofemoral syndrome (left knee) due to the possibility that her conditions may have worsened since her last examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to new evidence being obtained by VA, and the Veteran did not waive initial consideration of this evidence by the AOJ.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, finding that his current diagnoses are not related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has denied service connection for a right wrist condition and remanded the claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depressive disorder, NOS and PTSD with alcoholism, and coronary artery disease (CAD), to include as secondary to an acquired psychiatric disorder. The case is being remanded due to incomplete VA treatment records and the need for additional examinations.

The Board is remanding the case to obtain updated treatment records and provide a copy of the August 2016 Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) to the Veteran's attorney.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for heart disease, prostate cancer with frequent urination, erectile dysfunction due to prostate cancer, and depression. The reasons given were that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure or in-service conditions related to these disabilities.

The Veteran's death was not related to his military service and the cause of death, cirrhosis due to alcohol dependence, is not linked to any service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disability, including PTSD. The Veteran is asked to provide additional evidence and undergo a VA examination.

The Board denied service connection for a low back disorder, claiming ankylosing spondylitis, as the evidence did not show it was incurred in or aggravated by service.,Service connection was also denied for depression and/or anxiety (other than PTSD) to include as secondary to a low back disorder.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depression, needs additional development and is therefore being remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have service connection for loss of vision in the left eye, a skin disability, colon cancer, or an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression) due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's current major depressive disorder is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.